Man rescued from Todd River with no serious injuries after more than six hours clinging to a tree

A man who spent six-and-a-half hours clinging to a tree has been rescued from a rapidly flowing Todd River with no serious injuries.

UPDATE: A MAN who spent six-and-a-half hours clinging to a tree has been rescued from a rapidly flowing Todd River with no serious injuries.

NT Emergency Services (NTES) were called to help retrieve the man around 5am Wednesday after his vehicle was swept off the Wills Terrace causeway by rising floodwaters as police were closing off the road.

The 35-year-old managed to escape from his car and get to a tree where he was forced to hang for hours while emergency services worked out how to save him.

Man rescued from the Todd River after six-and-a-half hours clinging to a tree. Picture: Emma Murray.

A tinnie was deployed, but was ultimately not used in the rescue operation.

Workers were eventually able to bring the man to safety using a zip-line system once water levels began to subside.

Commander Craig Laidler said the man’s irresponsible actions would be reviewed by police.

“Deciding to drive through a flooded causeway is an utterly stupid decision,” Commander Laidler said.

“It puts not only your own life, but the lives of others at risk.

“If it’s flooded, forget it.”

Commander Laidler has urged everyone to take this incident as a sign to not drive through flooded causeways.

The man was rescued using a zipline system. Picture: Emma Murray.

The man was taken to the hospital by St John Ambulance and miraculously had no serious injuries.

The rescue operation drew on the help and resources from NTES staff and volunteers, fire and ambulance crews, and Territory and federal police.

The flooding came when Centralians experienced the heaviest rain in the area for 20 years.

The Bureau of Meteorology said with 70-100mm of rain recorded over the 24-hour period, it was the wettest falls Alice Springs had seen since 2001.

EARLIER: NT Police, Fire and Emergency Services senior station officer Anthony Blakely said a “safe rescue” had been achieved after a man attempted to cross the flooded Todd River.

“He has been taken to hospital by St John’s and we will provide details of his condition at a later stage,” Officer Blakely said.

Commander Craig Laidler said the man’s actions would be reviewed by police.

“If it’s flooded, forget it,” Commander Laidler said.

“Please take this as a sign not to drive through flooded causeways.”

Centralians are facing the heaviest rain they have seen after Alice Springs experiences is wettest period in 20 years.

With 100mm of rain recorded at the airport over the 24-hour period, the weather bureau said it had been the wettest period Alice Springs had seen since 2001.

Centralian Nick Ortyan said the Finke River was the worst flooding he had seen in the area.

“It’s insane,” Mr Ortyan said.

“I can hear the flooding from the Tjuwanpa Outstation Resource Centre, which is on the other side of the river.

“We are cut off from Hermannsburg.”

Flooding at Finke River. Residents are warned not to cross. Picture: Nick Ortyan.

Mr Ortyan said he witnessed the flooding at about 7am this morning and did not anticipate it stop any time soon.

“I have placed a stick down at least five times this morning, and it keeps moving due to the floods,” he said.

Many causeways are closed to all traffic due to extreme floodings. These causeways are Schwartz Crescent, Undoolya Causeway, Tunks Road, Taffy Pick Crossing, and Palm Circuit.

Alice Springs resident Debs Malouf, said today had been the highest levels of rainfall she had seen in the area in quite a few years.

“Both river crossings to our suburb is closed,” Ms Malouf said.

“The only access route now has a traffic jam.”

Schools and businesses have been forced to close due to the flooding, including the Alice Springs Animal Shelter, St Philip’s College, and IGA.

NT Emergency Services advises people to avoid driving into water of unknown depth, stay away from fallen power lines and stay away from flooded rivers.

EARLIER: Emergency services have deployed a tinny to rescue the man stranded in the Todd River.

NTES crews have deployed a tinny to rescue the man stranded in the Todd River. Picture: Supplied.

EARLIER: The actions of a man who sparked a multi agency emergency response to save him from rising flood waters will be reviewed by police.

Emergency services were called to help retrieve the man who was seen clinging to a tree after he drove his sedan through the flooded Undoolya causeway earlier this morning.

His vehicle was swept off the road and the man managed to self extract by the time emergency services arrived.

NTES and emergency services personnel remain at the scene to retrieve the man, who is currently still clinging to trees in the river.

A/AC Laidler said the man’s actions put not just himself, but the lives of those who are working to help him at risk.

“Deciding to drive through a flooded causeways is an utterly stupid decision which puts not only your life but the lives of others at risk,” he said.

EARLIER: A RESCUE is underway in Central Australia after a man tried to cross a flooded causeway.

According to the NT Police Alice Springs and Southern Facebook page, the man attempted to cross the Undoolya Causeway earlier Wednesday morning.

“The man’s vehicle was swept off the road by rising floodwaters, the man managed to self extract from the vehicle and get to a tree where he has stayed until NTES arrived on scene,” the post stated.

“Updates to come, please take this as a sign not to drive thru flooded causeways.”

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Originally published as Man rescued from Todd River with no serious injuries after more than six hours clinging to a tree